


i'll take you home

by exohousewarming, tinyyy



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 12:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12211059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exohousewarming/pseuds/exohousewarming, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyyy/pseuds/tinyyy
Summary: Prompt number:392Side Pairings (if any):briefly mentioned past!suchen and sekaiWarnings:noneSummary:Baekhyun needs a flatmate, preferably someone who perfectly fits his standards and can actually deal with the concept of living with him. Preferably someone like Kyungsoo.





	i'll take you home

**Author's Note:**

> **Author Note:** dear prompter, i do hope i gave your prompt justice! i’d like to thank A, for the beta help and suggestions, and as well as M, for always being there and pushing me to just write and actually fixing my entire life for me!! all the luv!! and of course, thank you mods for another wonderful domestic fic fest!

Baekhyun opens the door to an obviously impatient Kyungsoo. Baekhyun’s hand tightens around the doorknob, gulping when Kyungsoo’s gaze darts past Baekhyun’s shoulders to peer into the interior of the flat.

“Why did you pack your things into boxes? Are you guys running away from something?” Kyungsoo’s eyebrows are knitted together. A few beads of sweat rest on his forehead and there is a glint of curiosity in his eyes. He’s carrying a black plastic bag that’s probably filled with drinks.

Baekhyun takes a deep breath, stepping backward. “Kyungsoo, listen—”

“Did you accidentally kill someone?” Kyungsoo interrupts him, taking a step forward, wide eyes bulging in accusation.

“ _Kyungsoo_ ,” Baekhyun hisses his name in between his teeth—his reputation isn’t that great with his next door neighbors already, and they’d probably have a week’s worth of bad gossip if the rumor of Baekhyun The Murderer spreads throughout the building.

“What is it, then?” Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at him, pushing himself past Baekhyun. “It’s not like Jongdae and Chanyeol abandoned you all of a sudden.”

Something inside Baekhyun crumbles because that’s exactly what happened. Kind of.

 

Ever since their third year in college, Baekhyun shared a flat with both Chanyeol and Jongdae. They lived what seemed like an ideal premise for one of those slice-of-life movies: three college boys living in the luxurious Apgujeong Rodeo Road, barely making enough cash with their convenience store or fast food joint side jobs to pay the rent. (They’ve always had Kyungsoo to count on when their rent was due and they were a few bills short.) They’ve gone through that deadly transition phase of being fresh graduates who were desperately searching for a stable, high-paying job. They’ve all been through the ups and down of Pre-adulthood and Adulthood itself, making a million memories—all good and bad stupid and terrifying—in their shared apartment unit, situated just behind expensive and intimidating Galleria.

However, Chanyeol just had to get accepted into a music academy in Japan and has to leave the country soon. Jongdae just had to go back to Siheung to take care of a personal family matter for a few months or until everything gets settled—which leaves Byun Baekhyun with no choice but to move in to a new apartment because he can’t afford to pay the rent of their flat all by himself.

After a few drunken tantrums (which happened when both Chanyeol and Jongdae moved out, involving a lot of ugly yelling and sobbing from the three of them), Baekhyun decided to just be a proper adult and move out too. Baekhyun decided to stop sulking, since he still has Kyungsoo anyway.

Baekhyun found a new place pretty quickly, and he’d been delighted to find that it’s a bit closer to his office. It’s also near their favorite teokbokki place, so he just jumped into hastily signing the contract. He thought he’ll figure out the rest afterwards—the problem of a slightly pricey rent pushed to the back of his mind.

 

Kyungsoo’s sitting on one of the boxes, across from Baekhyun who’s on the couch. “You’re an idiot.” Kyungsoo stares at him after heaving a deep sigh. “So what now, are you going to allocate your entire salary for the rent? Are you going to just live this way?” He berates Baekhyun, whose pouting face is resting flat on his open palms like a little kid receiving an earful from a parent. Kyungsoo then states the obvious and tells him, “Baekhyun, you’ll go broke. You need a roommate.”

Baekhyun lifts up his head. “It’s not my fault the both of them literally abandoned me!” He pouts at Kyungsoo, blowing a bit of air in his cheeks. “Help me find a roommate. And help me pack too,” he whines. Baekhyun is kicking his feet on the floor and Kyungsoo is averting his gaze, looking at the glass window of the living room instead.

He shifts his gaze back to Baekhyun after a few seconds, and throws the black plastic bag to Baekhyun. “You’re such a chore, you’re lucky I don’t have work tomorrow,” Kyungsoo grumbles and heads over to the stack of books piled up by the doorway.

Baekhyun checks the plastic bag on his lap and sees Melona bars inside instead of the drinks he was expecting. The ice cream bars are already soft and melted due to Baekhyun’s long-winded storytelling a while ago. Kyungsoo always bought these whenever Baekhyun was in a bad mood, always force fed the remaining ice cream bars to Chanyeol and Jongdae when they’ve all had enough. Maybe Kyungsoo sensed that Baekhyun basically fucked things up when he received Baekhyun’s text earlier.

Baekhyun looks at Kyungsoo, who’s bathing in the warm glow of the afternoon sunlight and scrunching his nose at Baekhyun’s dusty book pile.

“Why didn’t you get me the strawberry one?” Baekhyun whines. Kyungsoo’s tired sigh echoes inside the flat.

Baekhyun uses his dodging skills to avoid a book being thrown at him and uses the plastic bag of ice cream bars as a shield for his face.

 

(Kyungsoo sleeps silently, curling himself up in the tiny couch already covered in plastic. All the boxes are packed, and Baekhyun’s leaning on the wall by the window. He stares at the view of the Han River just beneath the line of apartments, and reminisces all the stupid, heartwarming memories they’ve shared in the modest space. Baekhyun, Jongdae, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo—it was always the four of them. Kyungsoo lived a few minutes and a bus ride away from them, but he’s always game to a few rounds of their usual chicken and fries and beer a few streets down at Daily Beer.

Kyungsoo stirs in his sleep, mumbles something incoherent. His arm falls off the couch and his fingers brush the floor. Baekhyun feels something warm pooling in his gut and feels like he’s choking from gulping down the unwarranted sadness of leaving. Baekhyun looks at all the boxes piled up, the plastic-wrapped pieces of furniture clustered together, and Kyungsoo fitting himself nicely in the couch. He’ll miss the view.)

 

\- - -

 

“Get out of the frame.” Kyungsoo shoos Baekhyun away with a swatting hand. He looks at the screen of his phone, the camera showing Baekhyun’s small kitchen, slightly bare, in need of a few pots and pans.

Baekhyun follows and holds his place beside the cupboard for a few seconds, but eventually throws himself in the middle of the kitchen and giving out his best smile towards Kyungsoo’s phone.

Kyungsoo sighs, his eyebrows now knitted together. He throws a disproving look towards Baekhyun before gluing his eyes to the phone to check the photos.

Baekhyun steps over to where his friend is, looping an arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulder. He looks at his new flat through Kyungsoo’s phone screen. Despite being smaller than their previous flat, his new place still looks too empty, even with all of the boxes already unpacked and the pieces of furniture already in place. Baekhyun’s impressed with how the place looks a bit more homey in Kyungsoo’s photos, even if it still does seem a bit bare.

“You know that this is going on all the listings we can find, right?” Kyungsoo tells him as he zooms in on Baekhyun’s blurred smiling face at the corner of the photo.

“Cute, single guy, looking for an equally cute housemate in Nonhyeon-dong.” Baekhyun tips his weight to one side and leans closer to Kyungsoo. “Isn’t that what we’re gonna put up?” He nudges Kyungsoo and wiggles his eyebrows.

Kyungsoo elbows him in the ribs, and tells him to set up his desktop.

 

“If this ever gets sued for false advertising, we’re in this together.” Baekhyun declares, drinking the warm broth from his ramyeon cup. He’s sitting beside Kyungsoo, who’s double checking the listing they’ve written together.

Baekhyun initially wrote the first draft, applying all the possible skills he’s learned from his job in PR. Then Kyungsoo tweaked it a bit, fixing the structure and revising it in a way that makes it absolutely more appealing. Baekhyun feels so blessed to have a friend who writes articles for a living.

“This listing makes me want to actually live with you,” Kyungsoo casually tells him, his eyes never leaving the desktop screen. He’s posting it on different sites with a satisfied smile on his lips.

Baekhyun suddenly coughs, the heat of the ramyeon getting stuck in his throat. Kyungsoo takes the cup noodles from his grip and safely places it on the desk. A coughing and wheezing Baekhyun holds on to Kyungsoo’s shoulder for his dear life.

“Can’t you eat more slowly?” Kyungsoo lets out an exasperated sigh while he pats Baekhyun’s back.

 

\- - -

 

  
The both of them start to lose hope after a week of Kyungsoo nagging Baekhyun to check his email every minute for updates on the listings. One whole week of Baekhyun being overly picky and whiny which results to Kyungsoo ignoring him over the weekend for his immature attitude.

(Kyungsoo did forgive him eventually. Kyungsoo got home to a smoky kitchen and a sulky Baekhyun grilling meat for dinner. Then Kyungsoo made a fuss about changing his passcode because _you can’t just barge in like this and pick random packed meat in the fridge, Baekhyun._ Kyungsoo forgave him the moment Baekhyun volunteered to wash the dishes after dinner.)

Byun Baekhyun has standards—he doesn’t want to be flat mates with just anyone. His standards pretty much consist of all the qualities Kyungsoo has, though he does prefer someone who’s a bit kinder and someone who doesn’t kick his shin or pinch his sides when he’s being too annoying.

A passing thought travels through Baekhyun’s mind when he pushes the cart by the fruit stand in the grocery. Kyungsoo wouldn’t be a bad roommate, he realizes.

“How about we call one of your ex-flings?” Kyungsoo suggests too enthusiastically with a pack of chocolate in his hand, interrupting Baekhyun’s thoughts. He gives Baekhyun a tight, almost mocking, smile.

Kyungsoo suggested a housewarming party so they could invite potential roommate candidates, and here they are at the grocery to buy food for the said party because Baekhyun agreed all too easily. But this time, Baekhyun definitely couldn’t just give Kyungsoo’s ridiculous suggestion a green light.

Baekhyun blinks at him for a few seconds, before pushing the cart and pretending like he didn’t hear a thing.

Kyungsoo’s lips transform into a heart as he smiles at Baekhyun, his eyes glinting with mischief. Kyungsoo stops walking in the middle of an aisle and Baekhyun parks the cart. “I don’t know,” he shrugs, stepping closer to reach for a wine bottle on the shelf behind Baekhyun. “Maybe one of your past flings need a place or something.”

“I’m not that desperate.” Baekhyun scoffs.

“Really,” Kyungsoo replies with a lilt in his voice. He’s rolling his eyes with a smirk on his lips.

Baekhyun couldn’t even argue because Kyungsoo dashes off to the next aisle and he is, indeed, a bit desperate to quickly find a roommate. But Baekhyun would rather host a dumb housewarming party rather than call up one of his exes.

 

\- - -

 

“I take it back,” Baekhyun whispers to Kyungsoo as he scoots closer to him on the couch. “Should I just call one of my exes?”

“Everything’s fine,” Kyungsoo answers with a tight-lipped smile, even if the atmosphere in every inch of Baekhyun’s flat is deadly awkward.

To start off the fun, Minseok has been puking his guts out inside the bathroom for an hour now, having eaten a weird concoction of God Knows What before coming to the party.

And what’s Chanyeol doing in Baekhyun’s flat anyway? Shouldn’t he be packing for his flight to Japan this weekend? Shouldn’t he be standing about three feet away from Jongin? Because Chanyeol is smiling way too much at Jongin by the chocolate fondue and Jongin’s new boyfriend, Sehun, is clearly not amused. Sehun has been sending ice cold glares towards them at the kitchen for about ten minutes now.

Junmyeon is blocking the flat screen TV from everyone’s view as he tries to make small talk with his ex-boyfriend Jongdae. Jongdae did not drive all the way from Siheung to Gangnam just to have Junmyeon follow him around and strike up an awkward conversation. Jongdae keeps on nodding and smiling, but is evidently dying inside.

Yixing just wants to watch the drama that’s playing on the TV, and has been craning his head and telling Junmyeon to move.

Everything isn’t fine and Baekhyun still has no potential roommate.

Baekhyun clears his throat and scoots closer to Kyungsoo on the couch. His one hand holds a cup of punch and the other one snakes its way onto Kyungsoo’s shoulder. He whispers, “You know, maybe if you didn’t invite Junmyeon—”

“Chanyeol really shouldn’t be stirring shit up,” Kyungsoo says at the same time, twisting his head to meet Baekhyun’s face facing him already. “No one really wants a pissed Sehun right now.”

Baekhyun starts to wonder how much vodka Kyungsoo poured into the fruit punch because he’s suddenly hyperaware of their proximity. He clucks his tongue. “Let’s just blame it on Chanyeol. Let’s call it a night and just conclude that it’s Chanyeol’s fault.”

Kyungsoo’s lips transform into a smile.

And it’s as if everything’s in slow motion for a few seconds, and Baekhyun blames it on the vodka in his drink entirely. He’s noticing Kyungsoo’s heart shaped smile and the flush on his cheeks. Maybe the both of them already had too much to drink.

Laughing, Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at Baekhyun. Baekhyun takes that as Kyungsoo’s non-verbal way of saying _you’re an idiot_ and feels proud that he has Kyungsoo memorized.

“Move,” Jongdae’s suddenly commanding both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, before hurriedly squeezing himself between them. “Your place is awesome and all but please don’t throw housewarming parties ever again.” Jongdae wiggles his butt before settling in his seat comfortably. He gulps down his beer like it’s just water.

“I hate parties,” Kyungsoo breathes out.

With furrowed eyebrows, Jongdae looks at Kyungsoo. Baekhyun does the same. “You’re the one who thought of this, you know,” Baekhyun pointedly tells Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo avoids their stares by turning his back on them both. He’s suddenly asking Yixing about the drama on the TV.

“Hey, does Junmyeon-hyung even know what’s happening in the bathroom?” Baekhyun nudges Jongdae and cocks his head to where Junmyeon’s patiently waiting outside the locked bathroom.

Before Jongdae could even answer, Chanyeol’s loud “Hey, where are you guys going?” resounds from the dining area. Sehun and Jongin are suddenly bidding their good byes to Baekhyun, a pissed Sehun holding Jongin by the hand and hastily stomping to the door. Jongin’s confused face is the last thing everyone sees before the door slams with too much force.

There’s silence for a few heartbeats before Minseok emerges out of the bathroom and enthusiastically asks, “So guys, what did I miss?”

 

\---

 

✉ **to:** kim jongdae  
I STILL CANT BELIEVE U DIDNT EVEN STAY HERE FOR A FEW DAYS

✉ **to:** kim jongdae  
PLS COME BAaAAaaAACK SPLIT THE RENT WITH ME

✉ **from:** kim jongdae  
Here’s an idea: just live with Kyungsoo!!! You’re welcome ;)

Baekhyun blinks at his phone for a few seconds, blankly staring at the malicious wink emoticon. He doesn’t reply, puts his phone down, and gets back to the unfinished work on his laptop. He really shouldn’t be texting during work hours anyway, especially if it involves Kim Jongdae who’s trying to stir shit up.

 

\- - -

 

Baekhyun’s leaning his arms on the counter while they wait for their drinks, his butt slightly wiggling to the girl group song blasting through the coffee shop.

“And see, this one seems okay but he can only deposit and move after three months. And I really need to split the rent by this month.” The phone on Baekhyun’s hand scrolls through a message thread with a potential roommate. Kyungsoo shifts closer to Baekhyun, and rests his cheek on Baekhyun’s shoulder to squint at the phone.

The message thread reaches its end, showing a photo of different reptile animals inside a glass case, to which Baekhyun didn’t even send a reply to.

Kyungsoo freezes for about a second. “What—”

“Yeah, he also has a baby crocodile and a baby iguana as pets.” Baekhyun adds nonchalantly.

Shifting away from Baekhyun, Kyungsoo stares at him with a somewhat horrified expression. His wide eyes bulging larger than usual.

Baekhyun just nods at him with tired eyes. “Yeah, I can’t believe it either. I mean, I’m not ready to be a reptile uncle, you know. Besides, what if those things suddenly get hungry at night and decide to just eat me?”

The sound of the blender stops and Kyungsoo’s sigh reverberates through the entire place.

Baekhyun throws an arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulders, pulling him closer and craning his head downwards to rest it on the younger boy’s shoulder. “I miss Jongdae and Chanyeol.” Baekhyun whines against Kyungsoo’s neck, his arms clinging onto Kyungsoo’s shoulders. “And their money.” He adds as an afterthought, and he feels Kyungsoo trying to detangle himself out of Baekhyun’s hold.

The barista announces their orders and their names, his deep voice booming through the bubbly pop song that Baekhyun probably knows the choreography to. Baekhyun quickly lets go of Kyungsoo, happy to see his extra sugary and extra strong coffee.

“Hey, I was wondering,” Kyungsoo suddenly starts talking to the barista when he hands both of their receipts.

Baekhyun can practically hear himself gulp, because he’s never witnessed Kyungsoo pick someone up. Unlike Chanyeol who always seems to expose himself to public rejection during college or Jongdae who would lay out his planned moves to them to get pretty bad advice. Sure, they’ve been aware of their Kyungsoo’s dating life—they know the timeline, all the girls and all the boys—but they’ve never actually seen him woo someone in person.

The surprise floods Baekhyun’s face with warmth and he feels his fingers tingle with expectation. The barista isn’t even that cute, Baekhyun thinks. Alright, his hair is dyed nicely with nice blonde highlights but Baekhyun bets he himself looks a lot cuter if he brings back his pastel pink hair.

“Are you looking for a place, perhaps?” Kyungsoo slurs awkwardly, the words forcing themselves out of his mouth. “My friend here is looking for a roommate.”

Baekhyun got hyped up for absolutely nothing. And here he thought he’ll finally be able to see Kyungsoo making a move on someone. He’s always wondered if Kyungsoo threw smooth lines or if he was more straight to point.

“Uh,” The barista looks confused, alternating glances between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun while he carries a blender in one hand. “I’m sorry?”

Baekhyun can’t take this anymore. He wants to melt from the secondhand embarrassment. He holds his drink with one hand and loops the other one around Kyungsoo’s wrist. Baekhyun then smiles apologetically at the confused barista and says, “Sorry, my friend here is just being embarrassing.”

Kyungsoo gets tugged out of the café, sluggishly trudging behind Baekhyun who’s holding his wrist. He matches Baekhyun’s pace to lean closer and whispers, “I was just helping you.”

The bell on the door chimes as they exit, and they’re greeted with the warmth of the sun paired with a slight breeze. “Oh my god, Kyungsoo, you can’t just ask the barista if he wants a roommate.” Baekhyun groans, slowly walking backwards to show Kyungsoo his frustration.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at him and takes a sip from his cold, dark drink. “I’m trying my best here to help you, alright?” He places a hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder to turn him around, so that he’d stop walking backwards. He lets his hand rest there even when Baekhyun’s walking right beside him.

“Thanks, but please don’t randomly ask strangers anymore.”

 

\- - -

 

Kyungsoo does something weird yet again, but it doesn’t involve a random stranger this time.

“Seungsoo-hyung!” He enthusiastically speaks on his phone, his legs folded by his chest as he fits himself on the corner of his couch. “Yes, I texted you. Yeah, that was for you.”

Baekhyun’s humming a song while meticulously washing the dishes, because Kyungsoo would probably throw a passive aggressive fit if he carelessly leaves a dirty spot on Kyungsoo’s plates.

“So, you wanna share a place with Baekhyun?”

Not only does Baekhyun stop humming but also almost drops the bowl he’s rinsing. He twists a bit to look at the small boy curled up on the couch. Baekhyun already has his mouth open, ready to protest and tell Kyungsoo that he’s being embarrassing again.

Kyungsoo suddenly smirks, then asks “Why should I move in with Baekhyun?”

His mouth closes. Baekhyun feels something weird as he stares at Kyungsoo’s eyebrows meeting one another, probably a non-verbal way of saying _that’s ridiculous, hyung._

“We’re always together, anyway,” Kyungsoo says as-a-matter-of-factly, sparing a glance at Baekhyun in the kitchen. “I literally see him every day, hyung.” Kyungsoo gives him a tired stare.

Baekhyun scoffs at Kyungsoo, and scrunches his face at him. As a mature adult, he sticks his tongue out in reply. He returns to the dishes that need to be rinsed, and gulps down the weird feeling that’s stuck on his throat.

“Alright, goodbye, hyung,” Kyungsoo says while he flips through different channels on the television. “We’re not getting married, who even—” His sentence gets cut and he sighs loudly. “Tell Byun Baekhyun to propose to me first, then.”

This time, Baekhyun almost drops a glass. Luckily, he doesn’t cause too much noise and saves it – also saving himself from a possibly angry Kyungsoo. After gulping it down a few seconds ago, the weird feeling lands on his stomach now. It’s as if Baekhyun swallowed a fizzy drink the wrong way, and now there’s something bubbling inside his stomach. And this is all because of Kyungsoo’s jokes which are getting weirder day by day.

“Yes, bye, hyung,” Kyungsoo says hurriedly in dismissal, before finally settiling on a channel.

Baekhyun finishes his task, and pads to the living room where Kyungsoo’s sleepily watching a variety show on the screen. He huffs up his chest with air and tries to gather every ounce of confidence he can.

“Just move in with me,” Baekhyun says, in his mind.

What actually comes out of Baekhyun’s mouth is a strange question: “Isn’t your contract ending this month?”

Kyungsoo stretches on the couch, extending his limbs with a groan. He hums positively as an answer and pairs it with a nod for affirmation.

“Oh,” Baekhyun replies and sits himself next to Kyungsoo, who’s now sitting properly. His arm sneaks around Kyungsoo’s back and it drapes around his shoulders. He feels Kyungsoo shifting in his seat to lean a bit closer. What’s supposed to feel normal, even habitual, now makes Baekhyun feel like Kyungsoo’s weirdly shaped cactus just beside the television—all prickly and odd and _just weird_. Baekhyun tells himself that the feeling doesn’t root from his arm around Kyungsoo or Kyungsoo’s hand idly resting on Baekhyun’s thigh or the fuzzy warmth radiating between them. It’s because he has to say something important to Kyungsoo, that’s all.

Baekhyun decides he doesn’t want to feel like the weird cactus anymore. So he gathers up enough courage.

“Just live with me,” Baekhyun says, at the exact moment Kyungsoo tells him, “We’ll find a flatmate for you.”

A pause, as they look at each other. “What?” They both say simultaneously. The laugh track can be heard from the television.

“Um, nothing?” Baekhyun sheepishly grins at Kyungsoo, feeling quite exposed as the younger boy’s eyes seem to scan his whole face.

“Not to be rude, but you know you do have your own place.” Kyungsoo raises both eyebrows at him, his gaze questioning.

Baekhyun shrugs, averting his gaze and suddenly becoming more interested in Kyungsoo’s potted plants near the bookshelf. “You have more food here.” He reasons out as he exhales. Baekhyun shifts to the other end of the couch, lying down to occupy every inch and flopping his feet onto Kyungsoo’s lap. He can actually shift to an opposite and comfier position—Baekhyun’s head on Kyungsoo’s lap—but he’s been feeling ridiculous sizzles in his stomach and Kyungsoo would probably ban him from his home if Baekhyun suddenly puked on his lap. So Baekhyun settles by resting his feet on Kyungsoo’s lap instead.

“Go home.”

“I need a nap.” Baekhyun replies through a yawn, snuggling his head into the soft corner of the couch. “Wake me up in a few.”

 

(Kyungsoo does not wake him up. Baekhyun wakes up in the morning with a blanket covering him and a pain in his back from his awkward sleeping position on the couch.

Kyungsoo does prepare breakfast for Baekhyun and didn’t let him leave until he finished his scrambled eggs.

Baekhyun arrives an hour late for work, with an unkempt hairstyle and a borrowed outfit and a paper bag with the kimbap rolls packed by Kyungsoo.)

 

\- - -

 

✉ **to:** kim jongdae  & park chanyeol  
not to imply anything but has kyungsoo always been this cute and kind and just idk wonderful??? NOT TO IMPLY ANYTHING BUT IDK WELL U KNOW

✉ **from:** park chanyeol  
AYYYYE SOMEONE’S CATCHIN FEELINS YO I SUPPORT 100%

✉ **from:** kim jongdae  
So just tell us the date and I’ll make sure Chanyeol flies his ass all the way from Japan in time for your wedding ;)

✉ **to:** kim jongdae  & park chanyeol  
I STILL HATE YOU BOTH

“Why are you pouting at your phone? Are you getting weird comments from the listing again?” Kyungsoo’s sudden arrival surprises Baekhyun, making his head shoot upwards. Kyungsoo’s hair is a bit ruffled, and his eyebrows are meeting as he gives Baekhyun a weird look. It takes all of Baekhyun’s willpower to stop himself from running his hands through Kyungsoo’s messy hair. Maybe next time, when they’re not in a public place. His hand holds a paper bag that belongs to his favorite plant store, just a few streets away from the coffee shop where they’re currently settled in.

“Oh, no, it’s just Jongdae and Chanyeol,” Baekhyun shrugs nonchalantly, turning off his phone’s display and placing it on the table. “Being idiots and all,” he adds and clears his throat. “What’s in the bag? Did you buy a new plant again? You already have twenty, you know. How can you even take care of them all?” He rambles on, fidgeting in his seat to lean closer to Kyungsoo across the table.

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at him and corrects him, “I have _fourteen_ succulents, Baekhyun.” He clears his throat, gently pushing the paper bag to Baekhyun. “And this is actually for you. You can name it, and stuff,” He mumbles, looking out the window by their table. “Oh, and please don’t kill it.” He turns his head to look at Baekhyun with a warning stare.

Baekhyun can feel his smile reaching his cheeks. He takes the paper bag and takes a peek inside to see a small cactus in a round pot. “It’s so cute and tiny. I’ll name it after you.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at Baekhyun, lips curling into a smile. “I’m getting coffee,” he says, before standing up and going to the counter.

With his phone in his hands, he types an update about how adorable Kyungsoo is―and really, has Kyungsoo always been so endearing? Baekhyun then looks at the text he’d written, still unsent to both Jongdae and Chanyeol. It’s practically just a running sentence about how cute and wonderful and kind Kyungsoo is and how he’s thinking about asking Kyungsoo to move in with him.

Ever since they had no choice but to spend more time together, with just the two of them, it’s as if Baekhyun’s suddenly seeing Kyungsoo through rose-colored lenses, making everything about him and his entire soul so lovely. Baekhyun wonders whether he’s been blind before, because how can he not be enamored with Do Kyungsoo, his friend who’s always been with him since college? But since they have been friends for so long, Baekhyun is still uncertain whether the seeping warmth of his feelings towards one of his best friends is just a burning, platonic familiarity to fill up the absence of both Chanyeol and Jongdae.

He deletes the text, wearing out the backspace button with his thumb. The last time Baekhyun felt this confused was when he accidentally entered the wrong classroom and actually sat through a whole period of Calculus class he wasn’t even enrolled in, thinking it was Advanced Statistics the entire time.

“I got you a refill.” Kyungsoo sits beside him this time, sliding Baekhyun’s drink in front of the spaced out boy. “You okay? You’ve been acting weird today.”

Baekhyun blinks at the almost empty cup of coffee he was drinking while he was waiting for Kyungsoo, then shifts his gaze to the new cup Kyungsoo bought for him. Same order, down to the very specific add-ons. Baekhyun takes pride in knowing Kyungsoo’s non-verbal cues, and now he’s realizing that maybe Kyungsoo’s got him memorized too. “Hey,” Baekhyun mutters, leaning closer to Kyungsoo. “I just want you to know that you’re wonderful and I appreciate you.” Something inside Baekhyun withers, he wasn’t planning for it to sound like too formal and awkward.

Kyungsoo’s staring at him weirdly. “What is wrong with you?” His brows are still knotted together as he inches away from Baekhyun. “But, thanks, I guess?”

“I just really had a tough day at work, I’m having a mental breakdown.” Baekhyun tries to redeem himself by playing it off with exhaustion. He leans on his chair and sighs extra loud before taking a sip of his drink.

A smile appears on Kyungsoo’s lips, and his hand reaches for Baekhyun’s hair. “You poor thing,” he coos robotically, gently threading his fingers through Baekhyun’s brown strands.

Baekhyun practically wants to melt, and he wonders if Kyungsoo can sense it, with the way Baekhyun is leaning in to Kyungsoo’s touch.

 

\- - -

 

They’re eating grilled eel and teokbokki, lazy limbs sprawled on the small carpeted area of Baekhyun’s living room, when Kyungsoo receives a call.

It takes a while for Kyungsoo to answer the buzzing phone beside his drink, too focused on the article he’s finishing on his laptop.

Baekhyun lets out a burp, before pointing out the call to Kyungsoo. “Hey, your landlord’s calling,” he tells Kyungsoo after glancing at his phone.

Kyungsoo stops typing. He takes a quick, sharp breath before muttering a polite ‘hello’ into his phone.

Lying flat on the floor and noisily stretching his limbs, Baekhyun almost topples over Kyungsoo’s can of Sprite. He meets Kyungsoo’s pointed stare just as he raises his head. Baekhyun just grins sheepishly, moving beside Kyungsoo so that he won’t bump into anything else anymore. The both of them are just leaning back on the couch, not actually sitting on it. Baekhyun’s newly bought carpet is comfy enough anyway, and he actually makes himself more comfortable by snuggling close to Kyungsoo.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I’ll be there in a few hours.” Kyungsoo responds to the phone on his ear, minimizing the article on his laptop.

Baekhyun feels the subtle buzz from Kyungsoo’s voice as he fits his face into the curve of his neck. Kyungsoo should visit him more often, because Baekhyun feels like thrice a week isn’t enough. Kyungsoo should stay a bit longer today, but then Baekhyun senses the urgency in his voice.

“No, it’s fine,” Kyungsoo says, and closes his laptop. He takes it off of his lap and sets it aside. “I can renew the contract—”

“Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun calls him, interrupting him. Baekhyun removes his head from Kyungsoo’s shoulder, positioning himself so that he’s looking straight at the younger boy.

With raised eyebrows, Kyungsoo gives him a questioning gaze. Then he goes back to his call, telling his landlord, “Sorry, yes, I can sign—”

“Just move in with me,” Baekhyun blurts out, cutting him off. Baekhyun really doesn’t want grilled eel and teokbokki vomit right now, but it’s as if he’s taken back to the nights where he’s hunched over a toilet bowl, puking out the alcohol in his system. There is a weird feeling of finally getting rid of the nauseating whirlpool in his stomach, of blurting out what he’s meant to tell Kyungsoo all this time.

But Kyungsoo just stares at him, his figure frozen but his eyes still calculating, as always. “Um, I’ll get back to you. Sorry,” He speaks into his phone before placing it down on floor, just beside his laptop. “What did you say?” Kyungsoo asks, slowly and carefully, enunciating every word.

Not only is there still a hint of chaos in Baekhyun’s guts, but there’s also a frantic thump in his chest as if his heart badly wants to escape through his ribcage. “Move in with me,” Baekhyun repeats, his own commanding voice sounding so foreign in his ears. “Don’t renew your contract, just stay here with me.” His mind is contradicting itself, activating all the alarms, and telling him _this is a really bad idea_ paired with _what took you so long to say this?_

Baekhyun pinpoints where his hesitation stems from: he hears it in Kyungsoo’s silence, he feels it in Kyungsoo shifting away from him to grab a throw pillow on the couch, he feels it in the soft throw pillow that’s colliding against his face—

“Why are you _attacking_ me out of nowhere,” Baekhyun protests while he tries to scoot further away from Kyungsoo and his domestic weapon of choice. His arm is shielding his face and his other hand’s attempting to swat away the pillow. If Kyungsoo hated the idea of living with him this much, he could just say so.

Kyungsoo stops his feathery soft pillow attacks. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Why did we even put up a listing?” Kyungsoo’s asking him with a raised voice, without a hint of anger but with a heavy dose of frustration. His eyes are wider than usual, and they’re staring straight at Baekhyun. “Don’t even get me started on that tragic housewarming party, Byun.”

“Well, I wasn’t even sure if you actually wanted to live with me!” Baekhyun retorts, his arms flailing in frustration.

They’re at a standstill. Baekhyun’s ready to take the leap into whatever he’s been feeling for Kyungsoo, and also ready to defend himself from the pillow attacks. Kyungsoo’s just staring at Baekhyun with a confused, frustated face that’s mellowing down into something calmer.

Suddenly, the fact that they’re professional working adults pillow fighting seems funny to Baekhyun. To add to it, the fact that Kyungsoo hasn’t even rejected him washes over him. There’s a fuzzy, bubbling feeling in his tummy, making its way up to Baekhyun’s throat. Baekhyun’s smiling, then chuckling at Kyungsoo’s annoyed face. “You’re gonna say yes, aren’t you?” He says through his grin.

“Shut up,” Kyungsoo grits through his teeth, attempting to attack Baekhyun’s face with the pillow again.

Baekhyun successfully grabs the pillow, so that the both of them are holding onto it. Kyungsoo pulls the pillow closer to himself, but Baekhyun just follows the movement. Baekhyun moves his butt against the carpet to inch closer to Kyungsoo, minimizing their distance until he’s holding the pillow close to his chest. Baekhyun feels so warm and giddy and it’s as if the blood running through his veins has been replaced with fizzy soda instead.

“Say yes,” Baekhyun singsongs and tilts his head. Facing each other and with only a mere pillow between them, Baekhyun doesn’t let his eyes leave Kyungsoo’s face. He observes how Kyungsoo’s ears are showing the slightest tinge of pink.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and exhales exasperatedly at the same time. He just stares at Baekhyun, who’s acting all smug and smirking at him, before surrendering with a groan. He bows his head, resting it on top of Baekhyun’s shoulder. “Fine.” Kyungsoo gives in, his voice muffled by the fabric of Baekhyun’s shirt.

Baekhyun feels his cheeks grow warm and his heart revert back to its full speed beating; he’s hoping that Kyungsoo doesn’t feel the outrageous thump on his chest. “Well, that was easy.” Baekhyun attempts to say airily, but it comes out as an awkward squeak instead.

Kyungsoo then sits up properly, removing his head from Baekhyun’s shoulder. “You have to give me a few weeks to save up for a bed frame, though,” Kyungsoo tells him. “My bed frame’s attached to the wall of my room so I only have a mattress.”

After a non-committal hum, Baekhyun shrugs. “Just sleep with me, then.” The words that slip out of Baekhyun’s mouth sends his stomach into some sort of fluttery chaos, and the smile that invades his own lips is unstoppable.

Kyungsoo smiles, scrunches his forehead, and shakes his head at the same time—which Baekhyun translates into a non-verbal way of Kyungsoo telling him _I hate you, you’re ridiculous._

“I hate you, you’re ridiculous,” Kyungsoo says after a heartbeat, then he quickly downs his can of Sprite.

Baekhyun really has Kyungsoo memorized, and he grins even wider knowing that Kyungsoo doesn’t even mean it.

 

\- - -

 

✉ **to:** kim jongdae  
what am i gonna do with my feelings

✉ **from:** kim jongdae  
Here’s what you should do: finally confess and kiss him ;) You guys are srsly so slow, this shouldve happened 8123 years ago

✉ **from:** kim jongdae  
I swear everybody on the entire planet (except for you two) already knows you guys have a thing smh

✉ **to:** kim jongdae  
I BET HE’LL PUNCH ME WHEN I DO KISS HIM

✉ **from:** kim jongdae  
Oh, I bet you Kyungsoo won’t ;) ;) ;)

 

\- - -

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t move in with Baekhyun until everything is actually settled and all his stuff has been delivered to Baekhyun’s place. He does pay his share for the rent, and doesn’t renew his contract with his landlord at his previous place.

In a span of a week, Kyungsoo colors the vacant spaces of the flat in his own personal hue: the additional set of pots and pans in the kitchen, the shoe rack by the entrance, the magnetic poetry on the fridge, and his own pillow on Baekhyun’s bed. Baekhyun is at awe with the visible changes, and makes it a personal mission to stop Kyungsoo from buying his own bedframe. Baekhyun is just thinking about the space of the bedroom and how it could be too cramped if Kyungsoo decides to get a separate bed. And, okay, maybe Baekhyun sort of likes the concept of sharing a bed with Kyungsoo.

The large windowsill of the bedroom also gets lined up with Kyungsoo’s succulents, getting the abundant sunlight they need every morning. But apparently, fourteen plants can’t fit on the windowsill. So they buy a nice shelf, assemble it, and paint over it because the both of them doesn’t like the hideous green coating. (They had no choice, it was the last stock.)

“My back hurts,” Baekhyun whines, stretching his arms with a paintbrush in his hand. The wind rustles the newspapers laid out on the balcony and blows Baekhyun’s bangs into his eyes. They’ve been sitting on the floor and painting the shelf for about an hour and a half now.

“We’re almost done, stop complaining,” Kyungsoo mumbles, meticulously coating every inch until it looks like the shelf originally came in a periwinkle blue color.

Baekhyun covers his mouth as he yawns, the lazy afternoon heat making him sleepy. “Alright.” He huffs, straightens his back and gets back to painting. From his peripheral vision, he sees Kyungsoo’s hand pause, then freeze entirely, before putting down the paintbrush.

Baekhyun pays no mind until Kyungsoo calls him. “Hm?” He hums, springing his head up to look at Kyungsoo.

“Hold still for a second,” Kyungsoo tells him, leaning closer beside him. Kyungsoo’s thumb softly grazes Baekhyun’s cheek, and the touch feels kind of cold. “Oh shit, I made it worse.” He breathes out, eyes going wide and a smile spreading on his lips.

It takes Baekhyun a few seconds to realize that Kyungsoo actually smudged fresh paint on his face, which is why Kyungsoo’s leaning in so, so close and making his heart jump out of his throat. “So, I have a feeling you did it on purpose.” Baekhyun accuses him, inching closer until he can actually feel Kyungsoo’s breath. He smiles at Kyungsoo with mischief, and grabs Kyungsoo’s hand just before he actually retreats.

“Baekhyun, I swear I didn’t.” Kyungsoo tries to pull away from him, chuckling at the mess on Baekhyun’s face. It doesn’t help that Baekhyun’s holding both of his hands, their fingers laced together.

“Come here, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun purrs, swiftly advancing until his painted cheek is meeting Kyungsoo’s own.

Kyungsoo lets out a sound that’s in between a groan and a yelp, flinching at the feeling of fresh paint on his skin.

Baekhyun positions his lips by Kyungsoo’s ear to whisper, “I got you.” He feels Kyungsoo shaking with soft laughter, and Baekhyun’s just laughing along with him. He leans back, sitting down properly across Kyungsoo, not letting go of his hands.

Kyungsoo’s hair is a mess from the warm winds, and from struggling to escape Baekhyun’s hold. His cheeks are flushed pink, his ears tinged with a hint of red, and his lips heart-shaped as he breathes out the last of his chuckles. Baekhyun takes in the view, and wonders how he missed this wonder the entire time he’s been friends with Kyungsoo.

“You can let go now,” Kyungsoo tells him, squeezing Baekhyun’s hands.

Baekhyun tilts his head to one side, feeling his smile reach his cheeks. “I don’t want to,” he replies through his grin. Baekhyun doesn’t even hold Kyungsoo’s hand too tightly. The younger boy could practically slide his hands away if he wants to.

But Kyungsoo doesn’t, he just leans forward, minimizing the distance between their faces yet again. “We’re almost done painting, you know.”

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow at Kyungsoo, questioning his sudden bravery. “We have all day,” he mutters, quietly in the tiny space between their lips, before kissing Kyungsoo. There are a million dismissed thoughts inside Baekhyun’s mind: warnings, cowardly musings, and the hideously long list of ways to actually fuck this up and ruin their friendship forever. Baekhyun ignores them all, and focuses on the way Kyungsoo’s kissing him back with the same amount of eagerness. There are fingers threading through the strands of Baekhyun’s hair; a hand on his nape gently pulling him closer; a fizzy warmth spreading through his bloodstream, making him feel sparks at the end of his fingertips and fireworks in his stomach.

Kyungsoo breaks away from the kiss, his breath heavy and his eyes peering straight at Baekhyun’s face. All it takes is a slow smile forming on Kyungsoo’s face and a loving chuckle coming out of his lips to make Baekhyun finally admit to himself how much he adores Kyungsoo. “We’re a mess,” Kyungsoo says through chuckles. The paint on his cheek got smudged further into half of his face, and there are even hints of blue on his hair. Kyungsoo gives him a knowing, understanding stare that repeats what he just said: _we’re a mess, our feelings are all over the place._

Baekhyun’s wondering how much paint is splattered on his face, too. “I don’t mind,” Baekhyun answers through his smile, reaching over for Kyungsoo’s hand.

Kyungsoo’s the one to hold Baekhyun's hand this time, the one to lace their fingers together. Kyungsoo smiles softly, shyly even, but he doesn’t let his gaze wander off from Baekhyun’s eyes.

Baekhyun takes that as Kyungsoo’s non-verbal way of saying _we’ll figure it out along the way_. Kyungsoo confirms his interpration by letting their lips meet again.

 

\- - -

 

Baekhyun has his laptop on the dining table, beside a plate of bacon and eggs. He’s removed all the listings over breakfast, taking down every single one of them. He then opens an email from last week, a query about the availability of his flat.

“Good morning,” Kyungsoo greets him with a sleepy, husky voice as he pads to the kitchen. He gives a big yawn, lethargically settling on the chair beside Baekhyun’s. “Hey, you actually didn’t burn the bacon this time.”

“I just like my bacon crispier than normal, I don’t burn them.” Baekhyun reasons out, craning his head to face Kyungsoo as he lays down his argument.

Kyungsoo just hums, an amused smile on his face as he listens to Baekhyun ramble defensively about his cooking skills.

Baekhyun stops talking and gives up on his argument when Kyungsoo gives him a quick kiss on the lips. “Well, okay, you win, fine.” Baekhyun scoffs and Kyungsoo chuckles before moving the plate closer to him.

Baekhyun turns his attention back to his laptop while Kyungsoo appreciatively eats the breakfast prepared for him. He answers the last query in his email with an explanation that he already found a flatmate—a flatmate so achingly wonderful that Baekhyun feels stupid for overlooking him for so long.

Baekhyun loops an arm around Kyungsoo, an act so familiar that it can actually pass off as a habit.

“I’m actually eating here,” Kyungsoo complains, but Baekhyun knows he isn’t completely annoyed with how Kyungsoo shifts closer and leans on his side. He has Kyungsoo memorized, but Baekhyun knows there are still things he can’t confidently interpret and he’s more than willing to learn so much more.


End file.
